Turkey: Top court rejects appeal against election law

By Aylin Sirikli

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Constitutional Court on Thursday rejected an appeal by the main opposition party for the cancelation of a new law which revamps the election process.

The top court in its verdict said the new law was in accordance with the constitution.

After the parliament passed a legal package in March, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) appealed to the Constitutional Court saying the new regulation would hamper security during the polls.

This April, the parliament passed a bill for early elections on June 24, cementing Turkey’s move to a presidential system.

In an April 2017 referendum, Turkish voters approved the switch from a parliamentary system to a presidential one.

Earlier on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said the upcoming early election would take place as planned.

“The parliament had taken an election decision. As election decision is a parliament decision, it is final. It is not subject to auditing of the Constitutional Court,” Bekir Bozdag told reporters in the central province of Yozgat.